01/10/2026
🚨‼️SHIRLEY RESIDENTS SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: CAMPAIGN AGAINST GROWING NUMBER OF HMOs…‼️🚨
Residents in Shirley are preparing to take their concerns directly to Southampton City Council, with a campaign calling for greater scrutiny of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in the area.
The campaign, “Say No to HMOs for Illegals”, is due to take place on Saturday 17th October 2026 from 12pm to 1pm in Shirley, Southampton.
Campaign organiser Linda Hayes says residents are increasingly concerned about the number & scale of HMOs appearing within & around the Shirley community.
Among the properties highlighted by campaigners is the former Barclays Bank site, which they say is being converted into a 17-room HMO. Residents also point to an 18-room HMO nearby which is currently subject to a planning appeal after the council rejected the proposal, as well as another HMO at or around the Shirley Hotel just up the road… 🤯😡
Whether individual applications ultimately receive permission is determined through the planning system, with appeals handled independently by the Planning Inspectorate… (You get who you vote for… SO VOTE!!!)
The council has also introduced additional HMO licensing covering Shirley & several other Southampton wards. The current scheme requires qualifying HMOs to meet council standards relating to matters including management, safety, amenities & waste.
That licensing system, however, is separate from the question of whether a particular HMO full of illegal-foreign-fighting-age-men should receive planning permission in the first place…? 🤷🏼
“We don’t want our community destroyed”
Linda Hayes says residents want to see Shirley remain a place where families can live safely & comfortably - & argues that the cumulative impact of multiple HMOs MUST be addressed.
The campaign “Say No to HMOs for Illegals” is scheduled for:
Saturday 17th October 2026
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Shirley, Southampton
Residents who share concerns about the growth of HMOs, parking, waste, noise, housing density or the changing character of their neighbourhood are being encouraged to attend & make their views known.